Accused “Sons Of Guns” Rapist Hayden Snipes At Daughter As He Pleads Not Guilty

Will Hayden, the former Discovery Channel star who portrayed a gun shop owner on the hit series “Sons of Guns,” had his lawyer take a potshot at his oldest daughter as he plead “not guilty” yesterday in a Baton Rouge, Louisiana court.

Former ‘Sons of Guns’ star Will Hayden entered a plea of not guilty in Baton Rouge Thursday.

Hayden, founder of Red Jacket Firearms, is accused of raping a young girl multiple times between March 2013 and August 2014.

Hayden was indicted on two counts of aggravated rape in East Baton Rouge Parish and one count of forcible rape in Livingston Parish in last December.

“Not guilty your honor,” said Hayden, who has been incarcerated since August of last year. Frank Holthaus, Hayden’s lawyer, said the allegations made against his client are not true.

“It’s easy to log allegations, but this is not the Dr. Phil show,” Holthaus said in reference to an appearance Hayden’s daughter Stephanie Hayden Ford made on the DR. PHIL show. “This is the court of law.”

Holthaus said the “so called victims” left out details and did not tell the truth. “It didn’t happen,” he said.

If found guilty of either aggravated rape charge in East Baton Rouge Parish, Hayden faced a mandatory life sentence.

Hayden will enter his plea on a forcible rape charge in Livingston Parish next week.

The investigation into Hayden’s behavior allegedly began focusing on one minor victim, and then spread as other alleged victims came forward. Among those who have accused Hayden of some form of sexual assault is his oldest daughter, Stephanie Hayden-Ford, who made her accusation of a one-time assault when she was a minor in a controversial appearance on a daytime television talk show.

Red Jacket Firearms, LLC, continues to make firearms and accessories under CEO Joe Meaux, who was the actual owner of Red Jacket Firearms, LLC, even as Will Hayden played the role of the owner in the 2011-2014 series. Hayden had owned another company named Red Jacket Firearms previously, but was stripped if his federal firearms license (FFL) in 2009 because of incidents in 2001-2008.

Will Hayden was never the owner or a company officer of Red Jacket Firearms LLC, and the company cut all ties with him once charges were filed against him.